


True colours are beautiful (like a rainbow)

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Barduil [21]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Colour Vision Soulmates, Soulmates, they were just kings in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24451540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: Humans see in black and white until they meet their soulmate, then the world becomes colourful. Elves see in colour until they meet their soulmate, then all the world becomes black and white except for their soulmate.
Relationships: Bard the Bowman/Thranduil
Series: Barduil [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/267661
Comments: 2
Kudos: 68





	True colours are beautiful (like a rainbow)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic the first time I was stuck in the Barduil fandom, I don't know why I never posted it. I've refound it and I really want to make it longer but I already have 8 wips that I am actively working on so... that's a goal for another time...
> 
> As far as I can tell, I've not posted this to AO3 before? Pretty sure I did post it somewhere, but I could be wrong on that.. O.o
> 
> Fic title from True Colours by Cyndi Lauper

The vast majority of Thranduil’s six thousand five hundred plus years of life has been viewed in colour, as it is for all elves before they find their soulmate, or worse, when they find their soulmate only to lose them. Six thousand years of viewing the world in colour, seeing the vibrant blues, and greens, and reds, and yellows life has to offer, and Thranduil would give it all to see in black and white again. Black and white like when _she_ was at his side. Black and white like when they were together. He’d give anything to know he wasn't alone in the world.

* * *

Bard has spent the vast majority of his forty three years of life seeing in black and white, as it is for all humans before they find their soulmate, or worse, when they find their soulmate only to lose them. Nearly forty years of viewing the world in black and white, seeing nothing but various shades of grey, white and black, and Bard would give it all to see in colour again. Colour like when _she_ was at his side. Colour like when they were together. He’d give anything to know he wasn't alone in the world.

* * *

Thranduil does well to hide his shock, when after the few sparse words shared with Bard, his vision begins to change, the colours shifting and fading, until only black, white, and grey remain. Thranduil does well to keep from crying out in surprise, shock, and horror, when his wish is fulfilled, when he can once more view the world without colour. Thranduil wants nothing more than to grab Bard, beautiful, _colourful_ Bard, and kiss the life out of him, but that would be counterproductive for at least a thousand reasons, so Thranduil keeps his head. Lies easily about what brings him from his home in the forest. The gems mean even less to him now, than they did before.

* * *

Bard does about as well as can be expected, when, after just a few short words with Thranduil, his vision distorts and then blossoms into colour. He is thankful for the provisions Thranduil provides, thankful for more reasons than just the fact that now his people will not starve. He cannot keep the awe and surprise out of his voice, off of his face, but he masks it behind gratitude for the food and blankets.

Bard needs a break. He needs to think about how he’s going to deal with this. How he’s going to bring this up with Thranduil. Do elves even have soulmates like humans do? How does this work for them? Does Thranduil _know_ that he is Bard’s soulmate? Does he _know_ that he has given Bard one of the greatest gifts? _Does he_ _know?_

* * *

Later, when Bard has conversed unsuccessfully with the dwarves, and seen his children to bed, he meets with Thranduil in his tent, and they sit quietly over wine. A companionable silence fallen over them, even though they are not yet friends. It is Bard who decides to break it.

“Do your people see in colour?” he asks, running his index finger around the rim of his wine goblet, Thranduil pauses across from him, before leaning forward to place his own goblet down on the table.

“Yes.” He replies, and Bard frowns, shoulders slumping. “Until we meet our soulmates. Then all but our soulmate turns to black and white.” Thranduil continues, and he notes the hope that seems to blossom in Bard’s beautiful brown eyes. “Why?” Thranduil asks, though he thinks, in his heart, he knows the answer.

“I’m… curious.” Bard replies, hesitant. “Humans see in black and white, until they meet their soulmate, then everything becomes colour.”

“Do you see in colour, Lord Bard?” Thranduil asks, resisting the urge to bite at his lower lip, like a nervous adolescent being given his crush's attention. He barely even knows Bard, but the human has reduced him to this.

“As of today? Yes.” Bard answers, a daring little smirk on his face. “Do you see in black and white, King Thranduil?” he questions, raising an eyebrow.

“As of today?” Thranduil asks, an answering smirk forming on his own face, “Yes.”

“And who do you see in colour, King Thranduil?” Bard asks, leaning across the table, certain he knows the answer.

“Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?” Thranduil replies, leaning forward himself, until he and Bard’s faces are a hair’s breadth apart.

“Why do you want for gems of starlight, when your eyes sparkle with it?” Bard asks, mesmerized by the glittering blue of Thranduil’s eyes. He’s never seen anything quite like it. Thranduil pulls back slightly in surprise, before he smiles and leans forward again.

“Mayhap, I like gems.” He answers in a whisper, his smile turning back into a smirk, Bard laughs and rolls his eyes.

“Is that reason enough for you to go to war?”

“Sometimes.” Thranduil replies wistfully, pulling away again. “I’d prefer not to. Is this really what you wish to discuss, though?”

“No. Why do elves stop seeing in colour when they find their soulmate?” Bard asks instead, making himself more comfortable in his seat.

“We do not need colour if we have each other.” Thranduil answers in a murmur, “When we meet our soulmate, it’s like they have taken all the colours of the universe, and placed them where they should be, within _them_. Without them, it’s like… like there has been an explosion. Colour splattered everywhere it should not be, even when we know things have always been coloured, whether we could see it or not.”

“That’s… kind of sweet, actually.” Bard says, smiling lightly. “For humans, we, uhm, we see in black and white all our lives before we meet our soulmate, because when we meet our soulmate, it’s like… it’s like they’re offering us the world as well as themselves. Like, they’re offering us the world as it _really_ is. And when they die… well, when they die, it’s like all the happiness has been sucked out of the world, why shouldn’t it be bleak, black, and white?”

“I’m going to lose you one day.” Thranduil whispers by way of reply, voice so quiet Bard almost misses it.

“I know.” He whispers back, reaching forward to grab Thranduil’s hand and squeeze it. “But until then, we’ve got all the time in the world.” Bard pauses, smirking at him. "I wouldn't presume to kiss a king without permission..." 

Thranduil laughs, leans forward to kiss the breath from Bard’s lips.

“Ad- er, I’ll come back later.” The two separate quickly at the intrusion, but when they look to the tent flap, the intruder is already gone.

“Who was-?”

“My youngest.” Thranduil sighs, cutting Bard off. “I should probably go and explain. Wait here?” Thranduil asks, watching Bard with apprehensive eyes. Bard gives a smug grin and collapses back against his chair, making himself comfortable.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” He says, receiving a relieved and charmed little smile from Thranduil, who kisses him quickly and then leaves the tent.

* * *

Thranduil doesn’t expect to be gone so long, but after tracking down each of his children to explain the situation with Bard, he’d then been asked to mediate a disagreement between two of the humans. They’d apparently been looking for Bard but hadn’t been able to find him, which of course not, and Thranduil apparently is an acceptable substitute. Issue resolved, he hurries back to his tent, expecting to find that Bard has returned to his children, and Thranduil wouldn’t blame him if he has.

But he steps into the tent and finds Bard still seated where Thranduil left him, only the human has slumped forward over the table, his head resting on his arms, his eyes closed in sleep. Thranduil can’t help the soft smile that forms on his lips at the sight. He watches the human sleep for a few moments more before crossing to his side, carefully lifting the human up into his arms and carrying him away, to tuck him into Thranduil’s own bed. Bard doesn’t stir once.

Thranduil leaves him to sleep while he goes and finishes off his parchment work for the day.

Later, when he finally turns in for the night, he has the best sleep he’s had since he lost his wife.


End file.
